Contents

Synopsis

The Minami sisters' daily school life is shown. Haruka fields Maki's complaint about the school uniform. Chiaki's inquisitiveness about Strange Things leads to an escalating storm of awkwardness among those "in the know". Chiaki is revealed as the nomenclator of her class, and later punishes Makoto for his incompetence. Finally, an intelligence competition turns into an all-out rout in favor of Chiaki, until Kana is forced to refuse to answer the one question whose answer she knows.

Segment One

Haruka seals Maki's mouth.

[Manga]Atusko, Maki, and Haruka are eating lunch in the classroom when Maki announces that she is going to quit school. Haruka comments that it was fun knowing her and asks Atsuko to trade food, essentially ignoring Maki. Atsuko comments that Haruka's cooking is certainly much better than hers and Maki interjects, commenting that they are supposed to try and stop her.[Referbacks 1]

Haruka gives in, and asks Maki why she wants to quit school. Suddenly Maki acts embarassed and reluctant to say the reason. Haruka tells her, warningly, not to be so serious about it, then again asks Maki to say it, pointing out that she has been talking about quitting school for three days now. Maki thanks her for her "kind lecture", implying that Haruka was supposed to lecture her about not leaving school.

Haruka asks her a third time, and Maki admits that it is the uniform which bothers her, starting to eat her cream-filled sweet bread. Haruka asks if it not cute enough, and Maki stands up and points to her short skirt, complaining that she is being forced to wear it, and that this is essentially sexual harassment. She complains about the possibility of the panties showing at any time and within pictures, while finishing her bread. Haruka consoles that it rarely occurs, but Maki rebuts that it is possible theylve just never noticed.

Atsuko tries to suggest that she wears bloomers over her underwear, but is ignored as Maki suddenly discovers that her sweet bread is missing. Haruka points out that she ate it, while Atsuko continues trying to intervene, likely attempting to point out the obvious globule of cream on Maki's face proving that she has already eaten the bread.

Maki dives under the desk to search for the bread and, since she is sitting opposite Haruka, instead gets a look at Haruka's panties. Maki jumps up and loudly asserts that, while Haruka has asserted that one's panties are rarely seen, when she went under the desk she saw it easily.[Quotes 1] Her loudness grabs the attention of the classroom, and just when she is about to reveal what it is she saw, Haruka cuts her off mid-word with a hand to the mouth, transforming the phrase white "pantsu" (panties) to white "pan" (bread). Haruka then says that the center of Maki's certainly is white, and warns her with a look to stop talking.

Maki revels in her success.

Taking her hand off of Maki's mouth, Haruka licks off the cream, which has stuck to her hand. This apparently terrifies Maki, who obediently repeats that, indeed, she has seen the white bread. The class loses interest in the seemingly boring topic.

Atsuko tries to say something, but Haruka interrupts, saying that panties would never show in normal situations. Maki counters that picking up bread is a normal situation, and Haruka says crawling under a desk to do so is not normal. Throughout, Atsuko continues trying to get a word in edgewise, before finally standing up and loudly saying that Maki could just wear bloomers under her skirt, again attracting the attention of the class.

Embarrassed, Atsuko sits back down, and Maki compliments her, saying she should have said so sooner.

The next day, Maki yells for Haruka's attention in the hallway, enjoining her to lift Atsuko's skirt to show the bloomers underneath. Maki praises the flawlessness of the idea, while Haruka comments that Maki should try it herself, instead of forcing others to participate.

Segment Two

Kana comments that Haruka was late home today, and Haruka explains that she had student council work[Questions 1] to attend to. Kana asks if she was alone, and Haruka says she was working with a boy from her class. Kana immediately questions if they were doing "strange things", and Haruka leans over, warning her not to mention this in front of Chiaki. Kana challenges this, asking why it is such a big deal.

Of course, they are not being very stealthy, as this prompts Chiaki to ask them what these "strange things" are. Haruka immediately jumps up and carries Kana out of the room, where Haruka warns Kana not to tell Chiaki anything, and Kana facetiously asks if strange things may only be explained by strange people.[Notes 2][Quotes 2] While Haruka is tongue-tied from her embarrassment, Kana leans over and explains to Chiaki that if a boy and girl are left alone, strange things are bound to happen.[Quotes 3] Chiaki asks her to explain what these "strange things" are. Kana throws her voice and covers her mouth, apparently try to make her words unintelligible as she says that it is "probably something fun". At this point Haruka expresses her worry, but Kana says that she has censored her words, and walks back to the dinner table, declaring the conversation over and telling Chiaki to eat her vegetables.[Notes 3]

Makoto contemplates what it would be like to have a chance with a nice girl.

Once again, however, their efforts at censorship are laughable, as Chiaki immediately asks how these things are "fun". Kana is taken aback and bails herself out by asking Haruka to explain. Haruka blushes and cowers behind the kitchen door.

Haruka cowers after accidentally revealing her virginity.

At school, Yoshino asks Chiaki to walk home with her. Shuuichi appears with Makoto and asks the others if they want to go to his house to play games and such, though he admits his real objective is to get help with his homework. Makoto and Yoshino pressure Chiaki to go and Chiaki asks if they are going to do "strange things".

Yoshino and Shuuichi seem confused, but Makoto is nonplussed, asking if Chiaki is suspicious of him and not to scare him. Chiaki concludes they must be, but this only distresses Makoto more, and he adopts a despairing crouched posture.

Yoshino asks if Chiaki has something planned but Chiaki says she is free. Shuuichi asks if she dislikes games but Chiaki asserts that, on the contrary, she is highly interested in games[Notes 4]. Similarly, she also denies that she dislikes cake, and would happily eat the cake left over from Shuuichi's younger sister's birthday party, and would also like to know what kind of cake it is and where it is from.[Notes 5]

Makoto gets back up, urging them to go and saying that homework need only be a side dish. Chiaki interprets this to mean that "strange things" must be the main dish. Makoto adamantly denies this, then comments that if her had a chance with a nice girl, he wouldn't treat her as only a side dish. He then realizes what he is saying.[Quotes 4] Chiaki then asks if she's not good enough. Makoto gives in and stops trying to maintain the conversation, instead saying that they're not doing anything.

Chiaki finally agrees to go and Makoto is relieved. Chiaki then asks if Yoshino and Shuuichi will be doing "strange things" and Makoto, finally having been driven up the wall, protests.[Memorable 1]

That night, Chiaki and Kana once again watch a news show about a loincloth festival. As Haruka walks into the room with a tray of tea, she asks Chiaki if she got a lot of homework done at her friend's place. Chiaki replies that she has, but that no "strange things" happened.

Shocked by this, Kana says that Chiaki is only an elementary school student, and then even she herself has nothing of the sort. Haruka adds that it's too soon, and that even she hasn't-and then realizes what she is saying.[Quotes 5][Memorable 2]
The other two look at her, and Haruka again cowers behind the door.

Segment Three

Uchida and Shuuichi are shocked by their nicknames.

[Manga]Chiaki, Makoto, Uchida,[Trivia 1] Yoshino, Shuuichi, and two unnamed male classmates are gathered around Chiaki's desk listening to Makoto give an anecdote about an argument in the teachers' lounge. However, Makoto refers to the teachers by the names "Hurricane #14" and "Monsoon." When Makoto begins talking about the interruption by the "Unopenable Plastic Umbrella," Chiaki stops him and asks him about the seemingly nonsensical story he is telling. Makoto is surprised and asks if she is serious and Yoshino reveals that Chiaki herself came up with these nicknames. Makoto continues, saying that the argument was the fault of the "Black-Bellied Polar Bear," causing Chiaki to imagine a black-bellied polar bear chasing away penguins.[Notes 6] When Makoto goes on to talk about the "Teapot Without a Lid," Chiaki imagines a black-bellied polar bear bathing in a giant open teapot getting caught in a monsoon, trying and failing to open a plastic umbrella, before getting blown away in a hail of debris.

At this point, Makoto addresses Chiaki directly, startling her out of her reverie. Makoto praises her nicknaming skills and Yoshino calles her a genius. Chiaki insists she doesn't remember this at all, and Uchida asserts that Chiaki loses interest in her completed work, causing Chiaki to question what she means by that. Makoto says Chiaki should nickname everyone in the class,[Cultural 1] but Uchida thinks this is a bad idea, stating that Chiaki doesn't know when to hold back, again causing Chiaki to question her. Shuichi says Makoto should be named first, causing Chiaki to name him "Mako-chan." Makoto is annoyed by the name and asks for a new one, and Chiaki names him "Stupid Child," and the rest implicitly agree that it is accurate. Chiaki is annoyed, so Makoto agrees to accept "Mako-chan." Up next is Shuuichi, and by now the entire class has gathered in a crowd. The two male classmates from earlier comment that Chiaki's nicknames are based on conspicuous characteristics of a person, but that since Shuuichi doesn't have any, it should be difficult for Chiaki to give him one. Chiaki christens him "Plain Yogurt", which Makoto mocks.[Trivia 2]

Eventually, the entire class has been named, and are in various stages of despondence and despair. The two male classmates complain that their nicknames were "Boy A" and "Boy B".[Notes 7] Makoto states that only Chiaki herself remains to be nicknamed and pressures Chiaki into naming herself "hime" (Princess).[Notes 8]Makoto complains that her powers of naming must be weakening and Chiaki tells him to "Shut up, Baka-yaro". Makoto responds by saying he is not "Baka-yaro" but "Baka no Kodomo"(Stupid Child) before realizing he has "admitted it" (implicitly admitting it again).[Quotes 6]

Segment Four

Makoto, loyal to the bitter end.

[Manga]The class begins a cleanup of the classroom, and Makoto enthusiastically offers to help, despite everyone else already working. Shuuichi tells him that he can use the dustpan. Chiaki and Yoshino show up, with Chiaki telling Makoto to shut up and work. Makoto criticizes her, saying that her method is not the proper to ask someone to do something. She complies in an overly polite way, calling him an idiot, and Makoto now criticizes her for being too polite.[Quotes 7]

Makoto and Chiaki now act as a two-person sweeping team, with Chuaki using the broom. Unfortunately, Makoto ends up continually having to retreat with the dustpan. Makoto tells her to stop pushing so hard and she tells him to stop moving back so much. In the end, no dust is collected and she calls him talentless. He gives a hyperbolic speech where he admits to being poor at the job, but argues that since it is a two-person operation, the fault is not entirely is. Chiaki orders him to switch positions with her, and Makoto immediately knocks a giant cloud of dust into her face through his incompetence.[Memorable 3]

Chiaki then orders him to get some buckets full of water, and has him stand there holding it. They then watch Yoshino and Shuuichi do the job perfectly, perhaps implying that it really was both of them.

Segment Five

Kana demonstrates her answer to Chiaki's riddle, a saddened Hiroshima Carp fan wearing the team hat. The Carp are notorious for losing.

[Manga]At home, Chiaki is studying at the table while Kana eats chips and reads manga. When Kana notices what she is doing, she tells Chiaki not to study in the living room, because it would make her look bad. Chiaki attempts to ignore her, but Kana continues to pester her. Chiaki then tells her that she intends to get into a good middle school, and to stop bothering her. Kana then tells Chiaki not to implicitly condemn Kana's school, since Haruka also went there.[Questions 2]

Chiaki then points out that Haruka chose lower-tier middle and high schools in order to be closer to home, despite her academics. Kana then points out that Chiaki would be the only one going to a good school, implicitly calling her arrogant. She grabs a book of problem sets, saying she will test Chiaki's knowledge. Chiaki answers Kana's first question with speed and ease and Kana, appalled at her success, tries to recover by asking Chiaki which page of the book that question is on. Of course, Chiaki can't possibly know that.

Kana then dismisses Chiaki's skills, calling them of little use, and accusing Chiaki of studying in the living room so that Haruka will notice. This appears to strike a nerve. Kana then gives her the back-handed compliment of calling her smart, for an elementary school student.

Chiaki then says she will test Kana, and asks her a series of three riddles, all three of which Kana fails to answer correctly. On the last riddle, Kana gives "pantsu" (panties) as her answer, when the answer was the soles of a person's feet.[Quotes 8][Memorable 4]

Haruka in the hot seat, but she escapes

Finally, however, Chiaki asks Kana a question she can answer. Chiaki tells Kana to write a 400-word explanation of what "Strange Things" happen when a boy and a girl are left alone. Kana is unwilling to give the answer and writes the tautological "Strange things are strange things". Chiaki is unhappy with this answer and Kana, driven by the situation into conceding, tells Chiaki to get into a good school where they can teach her about it.

At this point Haruka comes home, and they immediately ambush her into answering the same question Chiaki asked of Kana. After much thought, Haruka dodges by writing down that they should change the subject and talk about dinner instead. For a long moment, it seems as if her gambit will fail, but then Chiaki and Kana oblige her by yelling out "Curry" and "Udon", respectively. Haruka then agrees to make curry udon.

Manner of Adaptation

This episode was almost entirely faithful to the manga, following the chapters extremely closely and adding only minor embellishments.

Fan Reaction

While the episode was considered slower and less riveting than the previous one, it was generally a pleasing continuation of the quality of the first.

↑Shuuchi displays a bit of a logical failure here, as, since Chiaki doesn't know about the cake, how could she be refusing to go because of it? It is unlikely Chiaki would have attended without also figuring out the details about the cake, or that she would know about the party. Also, Chiaki's interest in which cake shop it's from echoes the Minamis' obsession in Okaeri Episode 3 and Betsubara with yogurt and chocolate from certain specific stores.

↑Penguins and polar bears are, of course, only found on opposite poles of the earth, something Chiaki should know due to her book-smarts. These Chiaki imagination scenes are not found in the manga, however.

↑There is a joke here; namely, that as extras, they would ordinarily (and do in fact) end up being labeled "Boy A" and "Boy B" in the credits to the anime. This is not in the manga.

Trivia

↑Uchida, while introduced in this scene, does not have her name revealed until Minami-ke Episode 05#Segment Five. The same is true in the manga, where her name doesn't appear until the corresponding Minami-ke Chapter 19. Her family name is not mentioned until Minami-ke Chapter 053, and never appears in the anime. Makoto, while appearing in segment two, does not have his name mentioned until now.

Cultural References

↑It is common in Asian countries for students to have nicknames within the classroom.

Unanswered Questions

↑Despite her stellar academics, it seems strange that Haruka would be involved in the student council, considering that just two episodes later, it is implied she eschews after-school activities to take care of her sisters. This latter would be more consistent with the rest of the series. Nor is the answer to be found in the manga, where this segment is from Chapter 3 and the episode four segment from Chapter 8. Indeed, no hint of Haruka doing any student council or other school activity ever comes up again, except in an anime-original segment of Minami-ke Episode 07#Segment Five, where she is class representative of her ninth grade class.

↑If Kana's school is lower-tier, and contains students as poor as she is initially, then what is Keiko, who aces every test, doing there? Never answered.

Memorable Moments

↑Chiaki driving Makoto crazy with her questions about whether they will be doing "strange things".

↑Kana (06:58): "Listen, Chiaki! If a boy and a girl are left alone, strange things are bound to happen!"

↑Makoto (09:08): "If I had a chance with a nice girl, I would treat her as the main dish, not a side d-Wait, what are you making me say?!"

↑Chiaki (09:56), in response to Haruka's query: "Yes, but we didn't do any 'strange things'."Kana: "You-you're an elementary school student...even I haven't done these kinds of things yet!"Haruka: "That's right! It's too soon! Even I haven't-eh?"

↑Chiaki (15:13): "Shut up and do your work, baka-yaro"Makoto: "Minami! That's not how you ask someone to do something! When you want someone to use the dustpan, you usually say 'Could you use the dust pan'?"Chiaki: "Don't talk, and please get the dust pan, kono baka-yaro (you stupid idiot)"Makoto: "Please is a little too formal. Instead-"Shuuichi: "You should worry about other things in her comment."

↑Chiaki (20:09): "A star is a star, but what is a sour star?" (Answer: Umeboshi)Kana: "Huroboshi!"Chiaki: "True...that's not exactly sweet. Something that cries and starts to shrink while wearing a red hat." (Answer: candle)Kana: "A Carp fan during a losing streak."Chiaki: "Sorry about that. I'm sure they'll do better next year. It is visible while seated but cannot be seen while standing. You should try to answer logically for once. What? Where are you looking?"Kana: "Panties"Chiaki: "It's the bottom of your feet, baka-yaro!"